The 2024-25 New York Rangers has finally come to an end. 82 games have come and gone, much of which to utter disappointment. But, on the most magical night of the year, a night filled with nostalgia and reminiscence, the Rangers pulled off a fantastic 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The night was a dedication to legendary broadcaster Sam Rosen, who was retiring after 40 years of memorable and iconic calls on the Rangers. But, underneath Rosen up in the booth, and on the ice, there was a player skating in a Blueshirts uniform that might have just played in his last game at Madison Square Garden.
That player is Chris Kreider, and it seems like everyone in the building knew it to be true.
Is it the end?
Could this really be the end of Kreider's tenure in New York? Many have wished for him to be the Captain of this franchise, and many have regarded him to being too inconsistent and unreliable. There might not be another Rangers player that has sparked so much debate inside of the Rangers fanbase then Kreider.
This season, much like the rest of this franchise, was a down year for CK20. After hitting three straight seasons with at least 36+ goals , including the explosive 52-goal performance in 2021-22, he only mustered a measly 21 goals. Additionally, he finished the year with only seven assists for a grand total of 28 points. After scoring 75 points last season, that is a 57-point dropoff between seasons.
Everyone knew it was coming
If this is the end of Kreider's tenure, it did not seem like he or his teammates were trying to hide it. There were emotional looks, extra sticktaps from the rest of the squad and a moment captured by a beat writer up in the press box that might have sealed the deal.
Chris Kreider just scored and Will Cuylle immediately went to get the puck. Everyone in the building has a sense of what could be his final game as a member of the #NYR.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) April 18, 2025
Kreider has spent 13 fantastic seasons in New York, but with him on the hook for $6.5 million per season until the end of the 2026-27 season, it might be time to move on from him this offseason.
For now, it is the offseason, meaning that the offseason questions can begin. One of those important questions will be about Kreider and his future with this organization. What happens next will sock you, no matter which way it goes.